What Can I Do to Lower My Energy Bills in Hattiesburg?

03/04/2016

What Can I Do to Lower My Energy Bills in Hattiesburg?

If you’re looking to save money, a great place to look is right inside your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling your home usually makes up about 48% of your utility bill. Some of the best ways to start saving money don’t require a large investment of money or time. If you haven’t arranged for your furnace service for the year, that’s a great place to start. We also have a couple additional tips that can help keep your bills as low as possible.

Schedule an Energy Audit

If you get a hold of your local utility provider, they will come do an energy audit of your home. These services are often provided free-of-charge and account for everything that is showing up on your energy bill, from your heating and cooling system to your kitchen and laundry appliances. Most utility companies also offer rebates for insulation and other things that can increase your home’s efficiency.

Smartly Program Your Programmable Thermostat

Thermostats have been improved a lot, and the technology behind them only continues to change. For example, the iComfort S30 is able to utilize the GPS In your smartphone to determine when you’re leaving and makes the proper change to help you save money and boost efficiency while you’re gone. When you return home, everything goes back to normal and you don’t have to worry about a thing. It’s also able to adjust to your routine, so when baseball and football seasons kick off, your thermostat can make the correct adjustment.

The Department of Energy says that a well programmed thermostat can

lower your heating costs by up to 35% and your cooling costs by up to 25%. Set your thermostat as low as you can, while still staying comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer. There are a number of different models to decide from so pick the one that best meets your schedule and needs.

If your schedule changes quite a bit, a 7-day model is more than likely your best bet. They provide you the flexibility to set different programs for each day. These normally have four possible temperature stages each day.

There are also 5+2 and 5-1-1 models. These models are perfect if you keep the same schedule on weekdays and another for weekends.

Selecting and Maintaining Your System

If you think you’re close to the point where your system ought to be replaced, it’s a good idea to view all of your options so you can make an informed decision when the time arrives. Check out the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of air conditioners and the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of the furnaces. The higher the ratings, the better the savings. As always, our furnace and A/C experts will help you make a well-informed decision that meets you and your needs.

If you’re not ready yet, a simple furnace service and routine maintenance can keep your system operating smoothly and efficiently. If you haven’t scheduled your furnace service for the year or are having any sort of questions about your system or options, arrange an appointment with us online or give us a call at 601-268-3486.

About Oak Grove Heating & Air Conditioning

Lennox was created to provide some of the most dependable, reliable HVAC systems in the industry while providing great service and quality for customers. Oak Grove Heating & Air Conditioning in Hattiesburg is no different, with our constant devotion to your comfort and commitment to the community. We strive to be the experts at what we do so you can always be comfortable, and know you can always count on us. Give us a call at 601-268-3486 or schedule an appointment with us so we can help you achieve total home comfort.